Cyclotherapy....

[Roughstuff]

A specific question and then a comment.

I have alot of trouble with my middle and lower back...a small amount of scoliosis, general back pain, numbness, tingling, from various things such as family history and small accidents/bumps over the years. But I notice that CYCLING--especially longer distances, and especially if ya pay attention to your posture---is about the ONLY THING that really makes it better! Chondroitin, anti-inflammatory things, aspirin, etc...don't seem to really help much when it really troubles me.

I think its because, as I said, if you use good posture and keep your arms fully extended you are stretching the muscles and skeleton in the areas where you have the pain?

Any folks out there have a similar experience? Any folks with medical/therapeutic training who can vouch for this or recommend other things to help?

We all love to talk about promoting cycling, and to me its affect on your health and fitness is one of the best arguments.

700 calories an hour....and its all fun!

roughstuff

[2manybikes]

Yep....same thing exactly.. unless I ride my single gear bike up too many hills. The high gear puts a lot of force on the lower back. It does not really kill me but I don't feel as good. I did ride my track bike 130 miles once, that made me sore for a day or two. That's all.

At a normal cadence, the more I ride the better I feel. If I ride more than 100 miles in a day, I feel better for another day or two. And better than, say 30 miles in one ride. I have arthritis and a bulged disc, both in my back. But everyone is different, it can make some people feel worse.

[John E]

Cycling is generally a superb form of exercise. However, I have been frustrated in recent weeks by plica syndrome in the left knee. For the first time I can recall, running and walking actually feel better than biking. The good news is that my condition has steadily improved, and I hope to continue cycling for many years to come.

As for the comments about slogging in high gears, this is why I have no interest whatsoever in the current fixed gear and single speed fads -- I gear my bikes thoughtfully, and I shift often and appropriately. Gear changing is part of the fun of the sport, and it does help avoid orthopedic damage. The other key factor, of course, is proper fit and riding position, which is why I like my drop bars, with the wide variety of hand positions they accommodate.